Cross Effects 3.0 - October 21, 2015—June 23, 2016

[Kotomine_Rin]

Vanguard

...What?

Vanguard wasn't certain of what he had just heard. No, before that he was more surprised than anything. For one, he felt fear. She knew, for some reason, that he was but a soul? While that fact wasn't exactly difficult to deduce, the quickness it took her to do so startled him. A medium could do so, but she was different. She was more! But despite that, he couldn't believe it. This was simply too much! What if this was an illusion? Or perhaps a sickening play affecting his mind. Unlikely.

But her words had awoken something deep inside him, something even he could not contain. His body was trembling in excitement. Thus, he spoke with a shaking voice, trying to contain himself.

That was perfect.

"Alma, that is... that is impossible."

[Umbra of Chaos]

Alma

If smugness was a physical thing it would be pouring off of the blonde as her smile widened. "Do you really think so? If your soul is bound to that shell then I may siphon it out from its bindings. If you believe for a moment that your soul would ever overwhelm me you are solely mistaken. Mine is infinite and unending and can synergize with any other soul and even empower it. Even if that soul was god I could bear it and make it even greater. There is nothing to worry about."

She held out a gloved hand towards the armor. "Just say yes."

[Kotomine_Rin]

Vanguard

Nothing to worry about?

Vanguard's trembling stopped short, among every other movement. As if driven by instinct, he roared mightily, a primal voice powerful enough to drive the leaves away from the trees. He wasn't even trying to hide his eaferness. Nay, it was more like he couldn't.

"How impudent... DO YOU EVEN NEED TO ASK!? YES! I ACCEPT!!"

Than, he took a step forward and opened his arms, as if embracing her. He wanted this, this was what he sought. Of course, he didn't believe her one bit. However, this was worth a try. If it worked, he would be one step closer to it all. But if it failed, the girl would die. It was that simple, there was no need to question or discuss it.

But did it really matter? No. She was offering something to him, it was worth anything. It was worth everything. It was worth the shot.

[Umbra of Chaos]

Alma

The blue eyed woman walked up to the suit of armor and rapped her knuckles on the metal. "Your soul is not directly bound to your armor, sir knight. You can tell me your name as you give me access to whatever you are directly connected to. Until I have access to that I won't be able to begin."

[Kotomine_Rin]

Vanguard

Without a shred of hesitation, the metal behemoth held onto the one opening in his helmet with his two hands and, using all the strength he had, ripped it open. Then, he knelt and presented his very being, his essence to her. His soul, entrapped in that wretched core.

At the same time, he held his hands on her shoulder, as if to keep himself from falling and muttered flatly, without emotion.

"Vanguard."

[Umbra of Chaos]

Alma

"Then let us begin, Vanguard." The small ball of blue light was easily visible and the spirit medium could tell without a doubt that it was his soul as it glowed and swirled with great intensity. Alma leaned in and placed her lips against it and the energy gradually faded as she drew all that he was into herself. It tasted of bitterness and hot lightning.

The energy tingled within her body as it took its place with her own and she immediately began the process of channeling. His own soul fit perfectly against her own and divisions began to lessen and cease to exist. Branches of spirit intertwined as bordes ceased to be and she felt the surges of power as the unification hastened. Her blonde hair transformed into a stunning silver that drifted in an unseen wind and her blue eyes glowed with heavenly might. A crack of thunder and flare of lightning blasted a tree apart as the energies began to stabilize.

The spirit cloth unwound into countless blue strands and reformed back into a silky white toga with golden trimmings. Gold and silver shoulder plates with beautiful and ancient calligraphy adorned her along with a necklace of large pearls. Her feet and hands were bare but she doubted that she would ever need them with the transcendent strength flowing through her.

When it was finished an incredibly pleased look overtook her face and she examined herself for a moment. Basking in the power of every piece of her and drowning in the appreciation of sensation pouring from Vanguard. When she spoke both her voice and the deep sound of Vanguard's formed a wonderful duality. "This... this is good." 

[Kotomine_Rin]

Alma

"Then let us begin, Vanguard." The small ball of blue light was easily visible and the spirit medium could tell without a doubt that it was his soul as it glowed and swirled with great intensity. Alma leaned in and placed her lips against it and the energy gradually faded as she drew all that he was into herself. It tasted of bitterness and hot lightning.

The energy tingled within her body as it took its place with her own and she immediately began the process of channeling. His own soul fit perfectly against her own and divisions began to lessen and cease to exist. Branches of spirit intertwined as bordes ceased to be and she felt the surges of power as the unification hastened. Her blonde hair transformed into a stunning silver that drifted in an unseen wind and her blue eyes glowed with heavenly might. A crack of thunder and flare of lightning blasted a tree apart as the energies began to stabilize.

The spirit cloth unwound into countless blue strands and reformed back into a silky white toga with golden trimmings. Gold and silver shoulder plates with beautiful and ancient calligraphy adorned her along with a necklace of large pearls. Her feet and hands were bare but she doubted that she would ever need them with the transcendent strength flowing through her.

Vanfuckmotheringuard


A dumbstruck look crawled on her face for a moment. Everything looked strange and blurry and alive. Instinctively, without even realizing it, Vanguard had taken his first breath in an eternity. Strange smells and sensations overwhelmed him, feelings so complicated and forgotten since long ago. A smile crawled on his face and he giggled. His body pulsated, and with his body the earth too pulsated with a deep, ancient energy.

His trembling carried to the earth and trees shook, following a rhythmical beat like a drum. But the echoing beating did not come from the earth, but rather, himself. His whole body ached, throbbed and pulsated. Silver light danced around his body and wind blew, swirling around him more and more, sundering the earth and the leaves around him.

It was like being whole again. No, he was whole again. He felt alive. Was he...

The woman's head turned to the empty suit of armour, the core that bound him now devoid of any shine. Somehow, his smile only widened. And for the first time in an eternity, he opened his mouth and spoke.

And the earth's tremor only intensified.

"What is this feeling?" He said, his voice still full with disbelief, his very being overwhelmed with a supreme, overwhelming sensation.

[Umbra of Chaos]

Alma

She laughed and the sound was both light and ooming. The question that had escaped her mouth was answered almost immediately. "Was it not already said? These souls can be held without strain and become even greater than before. We are powerful and we are alive. But 'we' is such a poor term. Let's just go with 'I'."

Alma held out her hand and toyed with the strength at her disposal for a few scant moments. The silver energy curled around her hand and the objects around her began to impress themselves into the ground under their own weight. Then she stopped and observed herself in all her splendor one more time before deciding on leaving soon. The thought resonated through the whole of them although there was no clear destination except the city itself.

[Kotomine_Rin]

Vanguard

The girl snickered as she looked at the palm of her hand, closing it into a fist. Then, her smile turned into a huge grin as she began to laugh. And she laughed, oh she did. And the laughter lingered, growing and growing in intensity as the wind blew more and more, harder and mightier than ever. The earth crumbled as rocks and debris of earth rose high in the air and danced along with the lightning.

"Hahaha...HAHAHAHAHAHA....AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHA...!!!!"

He didn't even need to ask, for they were one. So his, no their fist rose high up in the air as silver light collected and burst from her forearm greatly, lightning rugring from her fist to an absurd degree. And then, he roared.

"ALMA, I LOVE YOU!!!"

And immediately, his fist shot down to the ground like a meteor of light. A pillar of light erupted from the impact, the hand struck true. And the incredible amount of primal energy, drawn from infinity, dug into the earth and sundered all. Trees were uprooted, earth melted and was blown away and an immense shockwave burst forth. A litteral explosion of power and might, peerless and all consuming, tearing both the earth and the heavens apart and revealing a clear sky.

The smoke finally cleared from the impact, and revealed was a girl standing in a crater, her silver mane flowing elegantly as she smiled. Blood dripped from her hand, her look both intense and relaxed. For the first time in an eternity, he felt what it was like to strike something.

...Thank you.

[Umbra of Chaos]

Alma

Her fist cleaved earth and sky and she reveled in the power throughout it all. Ignoring the blood dripping from her hand she casually began to walk towards the city, dragging the armor along with her by the leg. It only required the glow of silver essence to make the object easier to pull. She did not move out of anything's way, the world would relent for her. With strength or light she simply destroyed anything in her path. Blasting apart wood and crushing stone to dust. The first thing she was going to do when she made it back was eat. She was both physically hungry and at the same time Vanguard's longing for the taste beckoned her with greater vigor.

You are me. I am you. There is nothing to thank.

[Elf]

Rin

The first thing that Rin was aware of was that she wasn't slumped on a desk.  If anything she was on a soft bed that wasn't her own.  She blinked around and confusion and sighed when she saw the plusie version of Emiya Shirou beside her on the bed.

Then everything came crashing back to her and the throbbing behind her ears and eyes intensified.  The light coming in from the window seared her eyes and she whimpered before pulling the blankets over hear head. With a groan she rolled over, realizing her hair was still in that pony tail and getting it caught under her.  She sat up, yanked the elastic out and climbed out of bed.

This is it.  I live with a crazy version of my sister, the first guy who could make me not compare him to some idiot my sister's marrying god knows how many dimensions away, all of my work lost, Rider looks at me like she looks at Ayako, and I'm staying in the Matou house.  No wonder I downed a whole bottle of whiskey and have a hangover.

Running her fingers through her hair, she headed for the kitchen, where everyone else would be.


Shirou

Shirou was in the middle of doing whatever a kitchen wunderkind did in the kitchen when Sakura appeared.  He smiled and said, "Want to get some water boiling for me, please?"

[SINIB]

Sakura Matou

“Yeah, of course.” Sakura quickly walked over to the stove and set it on high, filling a pot with water. “Rin was a damn fool last night. She drank herself sick and passed out in the basement. Why would she do that?” She murmured to herself, not really expecting a responce.

[Elf]

Rin

Rin yawned as she walked into the kitchen, stretching out her arms.  Then she looked at them, forced a smile despite her pounding headache and asked, "How did everything go?"

Shirou looked at Sakura and said, "Do you want to tell her or should I?"

[SINIB]

Sakura

“Oh, you’re up!” Sakura exclaimed in surprise. “I was hoping you’d...sleep most of it off before you got up. Everything went great last night.” She spoke significantly softer than she might have otherwise. She didn’t want to make Rin’s head hurt more than it probably already was. “Nee-san, why don’t you go lay down on the couch, I’ll make you some coffee and breakfast, and then I’ll tell you all about how it went last night when you’re feeling better?” Sakura suggested. “Right, Senpai?”

[Elf]

Rin

Rin held up her and and said, "I've never really gotten a taste for coffee.  Being in England has made me even more of a tea drinker.  I'm fine, I can function.  This isn't the first hangover I've nursed." 

She did rub her forehead as she went to grab a glass of water.  It was a trick that one of the other teacher's aides, one who had tried to get under her skirt but she wasn't interested because he was one of those Shinji types that Rin hated, taught her while trying to chat her up. After some quick research, she had found that his claims had been true.

She started to drink and said, "Congratulations.  To the both of you."

Shirou looked at her and said, "I can brew you a cup of tea.  I know how the Tohsaka back home liked hers.  You'd probably have the same taste, right?"

"Yeah, I guess," Rin said while gripping the glass of water.